American Express Credit Cards

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The following Delta Air Lines credit cards issued by American Express are getting new terms as of Feb. 1, 2024, that will make them more expensive to hold:

Beyond that cost, some of the cards’ features and benefits are also changing.

What to expect

The three Delta credit cards will maintain their ongoing reward structures and many of their perks, including complimentary checked bags (for the primary cardholder and up to eight passengers on the reservation); priority boarding; and 20% savings on eligible in-flight purchases. All of the cards will also continue to skip foreign transaction fees. Terms apply.

But here’s what will be different for each card:

Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card

  • An increased annual fee: The annual fee is changing from $99 to $150 after the first year.

  • A different welcome offer: Earn 70,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership. This is an increase from the previous welcome offer that provided 40,000 bonus miles after spending $2,000 in purchases on the new card within the first six months. 

  • Enhanced credits: Get a $200 Delta flight credit — up from $100 — when you spend $10,000 with the card in a calendar year. There’s also an annual credit of $100 for Delta Stays that can be used to book a prepaid hotel stay or vacation rental through delta.com.

  • Terms apply.

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card

  • An increased annual fee: The annual fee is rising to $350 from $250. 

  • A different welcome offer: Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership. It’s a larger offer compared with the previous 50,000 bonus miles earned after spending $3,000 in purchases with the new card in the first six months. 

  • Medallion Status opportunities: Get closer to earning Medallion Status with MQD Headstart, which offers $2,500 MQDs each Medallion qualification year. The new MQD Boost also inches you closer to status when you make purchases with the card. You’ll earn $1 MQD for every $20 on eligible purchases. 

  • An enhanced companion certificate: The companion certificate on one main cabin round trip for someone traveling on the same itinerary as you will now expand to include round trip flights to Hawaii, Alaska, Mexico, Caribbean or Central America. Previously, it was available only for trips to the U.S. and Puerto Rico.

  • New perks: If you’re not a Medallion member, you’ll be added to the Complimentary Upgrade list after Delta SkyMiles Medallion members and Reserve Card members. The list includes upgrades to Delta One, First Class and Delta Comfort+ seats. You’ll also get Hertz Five Star Status, which makes you eligible for upgrades (if available), points and more.

  • More credits: Get a $120 credit to use at Resy restaurants (up to $10 per month) and a $120 credit for U.S. rideshare purchases (up to $10 per month) when you enroll. There’s also an annual credit of $150 for Delta Stays that can be applied to prepaid hotel and vacation rental stays booked through delta.com. 

  • Terms apply.

The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card will maintain its credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fees. Terms apply.

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card

  • An increased annual fee: The annual fee is increasing to $650 from $550. 

  • A different welcome offer: Earn 100,000 bonus miles after you spend $6,000 in purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership. Previously, you earned 60,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 in purchases with the new card in the first six months. 

  • Medallion Status opportunities: MQD Headstart offers $2,500 MQDs each Medallion Year and MQD Boost provides an additional $1 for every $10 in eligible purchases. 

  • An enhanced companion certificate: The companion certificate for someone traveling on the same itinerary on one First Class, Delta Comfort+ or Main Cabin round-trip flight will expand to include round-trip flights to Hawaii, Alaska, Mexico, the Caribbean or Central America.

  • New perks: If you’re not a Medallion member, you’ll be eligible for upgrades to Delta One, First Class or Delta Comfort+ seats after Delta SkyMiles Medallion members. You’ll also get Hertz President’s Circle Status, which gets you upgrades, elevated points, a broad selection of rentals and more.

  • More credits: Cardholders will get a $240 credit to use at Resy restaurants (up to $20 per month) and a $120 rideshare credit with select U.S. providers (up to $10 per month) when you enroll. Cardholders will also get an annual $200 Delta Stays credit to be used for prepaid hotel and vacation rental stays booked through delta.com. 

  • Terms apply.

The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card will continue offering a credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fees. Terms apply.

What it means for cardholders

If you opened an account before Feb. 1, 2024, the new annual fees will go into effect at your next renewal date on or after May 1, 2024. Before then, you’ll have to consider whether your card is still a good fit.

With the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card and Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, carefully weigh the value of those Resy and rideshare credits that are issued in small monthly increments. If you don’t already spend in these categories every month, they won’t be of much use. With the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, consider whether you spend enough to make use of the flight credit or check bags frequently to make up the annual cost.

If you fly Delta often and can make efficient use of any of these three cards’ benefits to offset the annual cost and snag savings, you’ll get a decent deal.

To view rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, see this page.
To view rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, see this page.
To view rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, see this page.

Source: nerdwallet.com

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A message from our partner: Your miles are now worth at least 15% more with the new Delta Vacations. Click here to learn more about redeeming miles for your next getaway.

Since Delta eliminated its award charts in 2015, the SkyMiles program has become notably more unpredictable and, at times, outrageously expensive. With business-class flights on long-haul routes often priced at over 450,000 SkyMiles, it’s understandable to feel like your SkyMiles balance holds little value.

But if you have a stockpile of Delta miles, they are far from worthless. There are still excellent redemptions available, particularly during the carrier’s award sales.

So, let’s explore some strategies for maximizing the value of your Delta SkyMiles.

Redeem on Delta flights

ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

You can use your Delta SkyMiles to book Delta, Delta Connection and Delta Shuttle flights. Since Delta uses dynamic pricing, award rates can vary significantly. For example, in November, one-way main cabin award rates from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) range between 16,000 and 49,000 miles.

DELTA.COM

Even though Thanksgiving travel skews award prices over these dates, significant price volatility is normal. If you want to maximize your SkyMiles, flexibility is important.

Taxes and fees are generally reasonable on Delta tickets. Expect to pay $5.60 per person in taxes and fees on most domestic tickets and international tickets departing the U.S. However, Delta adds carrier-imposed surcharges on many awards that start outside the U.S., most notably those originating in Europe.

Keep an eye out for SkyMiles deals

A great option for redeeming Delta miles is taking advantage of SkyMiles deals. These deals typically apply to specific city pairs, so it may be necessary to book positioning flights to fully maximize these promotions.

Last year, Delta offered a flash sale with round-trip flights for just 5,000 SkyMiles. The airline recently offered round-trip airfare to Auckland Airport (AKL) from most major U.S. airports for just 37,400 SkyMiles round-trip.

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If you have no immediate use for your SkyMiles, you may be best off saving them for the next big SkyMiles deal. Just be sure to keep an eye on Delta’s SkyMiles deals page.

Save at least 15% with select Delta credit cards

If you have an eligible Delta credit card, you can save 15% on Delta-operated award flights when you use your miles and pay the taxes and fees with the card. This can be a great option to reduce the price you pay on Delta award tickets — and a major reason to open (and keep) a Delta card in your wallet.

Read more: Best Delta credit cards

Rebook when prices drop (or cancel when your plans change)

Once you’ve used your miles on a Delta flight, be sure to keep your eyes on the award rates. As long as you’re not on a basic economy ticket, Delta offers the ability to rebook flights when prices drop, and you’ll receive the mileage difference back in your account. You should even be able to do this right from the Delta App.

And if your plans change, you should be able to cancel your flight for a full refund of both the miles and the taxes and fees — again, unless you’re on a basic economy ticket.

Related: Complete guide to changing and canceling award tickets

Redeem on partner flights

Air France is a partner of Delta. ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

Delta is a member of the SkyTeam alliance and has three non-alliance airline partners. This gives you more flexibility to redeem your SkyMiles on various airlines and routes across the globe. Here is the complete list of Delta’s airline partners:

SkyTeam partners

  • Aerolinas Argentinas
  • Aeromexico
  • Air Europa
  • Air France
  • China Airlines
  • China Eastern Airlines
  • Czech Airlines
  • Delta Air Lines
  • Garuda Indonesia
  • ITA Airways
  • Kenya Airways
  • KLM
  • Korean Air
  • Middle East Airlines
  • Saudia
  • Tarom
  • Vietnam Airlines
  • Virgin Atlantic
  • Xiamen Air

Non-alliance partners

  • Cape Air
  • Hawaiian Airlines
  • WestJet

Although there are no online award charts, partner awards generally have a specific price range. For example, one-way business-class airfare from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Mexico City International Airport (MEX) ranges between 42,000 and 44,000 miles.

DELTA.COM

Another great option is WestJet-operated flights from the U.S. to Canada. Round-trip award tickets in economy class still clock in at 25,000 miles plus ~$60 in taxes and fees, and availability is relatively widespread, especially when you book in advance.

DELTA.COM

These flights routinely cost more than $500, giving you a redemption value of more than 2 cents per miles.

Delta also has some appealing non-U.S. partner sweet spots.

For example, Dubai International Airport (DXB) to Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) on Air France business class generally costs around 42,500 miles plus 120 United Arab Emirates Dirham (around $32). In comparison, Tokyo’s Narita International Airport (NRT) or Haneda Airport (HND) to Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) costs 35,000 miles plus up to 6,910 Japanese Yen (around $50) for a connecting business-class Korean Air or China Airlines flight.

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DELTA.COM

Delta can increase these rates at any time, and they have done so on multiple occasions. To obtain the current award price, you will need to contact Delta directly or search the website.

While Delta has tried to improve its website to display partner awards, it may still have limitations, particularly when booking mixed-cabin itineraries. The website often prioritizes Delta-operated flights, which may not be ideal if you have specific flight requirements. We recommend searching for flights segment by segment and being prepared to call Delta if the website doesn’t offer the desired trip options.

Related: The best websites for searching SkyTeam award availability

Redeem for upgrades

You can redeem your SkyMiles for upgrades to Delta One. ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

You can also use your SkyMiles for upgrades to a higher class of service. If you have a confirmed Delta-marketed and operated flight, you should have the option to pay cash or use miles to upgrade your flight directly on Delta’s website.

If you redeem your miles for an upgrade using this method, you’ll generally get around 1 cent per mile, which is lower than our 1.41 cent valuation of Delta SkyMiles. This could be a viable option if you have a surplus of SkyMiles and no immediate plans for their use. However, we generally recommend prioritizing award flight redemptions, as discussed in previous sections.

You can also use Delta miles to upgrade specific flights operated by Air France, KLM, Virgin Atlantic or Aeromexico. This option is subject to fare class requirements and is available only on select routes each partner operates. For more details, please refer to Delta’s “upgrade with miles” page.

You’ll also want to make sure there’s upgrade inventory available. Fortunately, all four partner airlines mentioned above publish business-class award inventory on ExpertFlyer (owned by TPG’s parent company, Red Ventures), allowing easy searching and setting up alerts if the desired seats are unavailable when you book your flight.

Related: All the tips and tricks you need to use Delta Upgrade Certificates

Redeem for Delta Vacations

You can sometimes maximize SkyMiles redemptions at luxury hotels through Delta Vacations. DAN HAM/WALDORF ASTORIA ORLANDO/FACEBOOK

Delta Vacations recently enhanced redemption rates for SkyMiles members looking to use their rewards for vacations. You’ll get at least 1.15 cents when you use your miles to cover a Delta Vacation.

In practice, however, you can occasionally find better redemption rates.

A two-day escape from Los Angeles to Hawaii with lodging at the Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa, Waikiki Beach costs $1,797.90. Alternatively, you can redeem 143,832 SkyMiles to book this vacation (a 1.25-cent redemption rate).

DELTA.COM

In this example, Delta also includes a round-trip transfer from the airport to the hotel, whether you pay with miles or cash.

Related: Delta Vacations enhances earning rates and redemption value for SkyMiles members

How to earn Delta miles quickly

ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

You’ll need to have SkyMiles to take advantage of the redemptions mentioned above. Fortunately, there are several ways to increase your balance. One of the simplest ways to earn Delta miles is by using Delta’s cobranded American Express credit cards (terms apply). Here are some of the current welcome offers available for these cards:

  • Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card: Earn 65,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership. Offer ends Aug. 2, 2023. The card has a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99 (see rates and fees).
  • Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card: Earn 85,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership. Offer ends Aug. 2, 2023. The card has a $250 annual fee (see rates and fees).
  • Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card: Earn 85,000 bonus miles after you spend $6,000 in purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership. Offer ends Aug. 2, 2023. The card has a $550 annual fee (see rates and fees).
  • Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card: Earn 70,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 in purchases on your new card in your first three months of card membership. Aug. 2, 2023. The card has a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then a $99 annual fee (see rates and fees).
  • Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card: 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new card in your first three months of card membership. Aug. 2, 2023. The card has a $250 annual fee (see rates and fees).
  • Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card: Earn 100,000 bonus miles after you spend $6,000 in purchases on your new card in your first three months of card membership. Aug. 2, 2023. The card has a $550 annual fee (see rates and fees).

Remember that any of these cards include access to the TakeOff 15 benefit, which will save you at least 15% on Delta-operated award flights.

You can also transfer American Express Membership Rewards points from cards like the American Express® Gold Card and The Platinum Card® from American Express to Delta SkyMiles at a 1:1 ratio. However, you’ll be subject to an excise tax offset fee. And Marriott Bonvoy points transfer to Delta SkyMiles at a 3:1 ratio.

Related: Points of View: Which credit card should you use for Delta Air Lines flights?

Bottom line

Although the value of Delta SkyMiles has decreased in recent years, there are still excellent deals to be found. While the program has been moving toward a redemption value of 1 cent per mile, you can still surpass that, especially with SkyMiles deals and Delta Vacations.

Additional reporting by Ethan Steinberg.

For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Gold Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business Card, click here.

Source: thepointsguy.com

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A message from our partner: The new Delta Vacations is even more rewarding than before. Click here to learn more and start planning your next trip.

Using Delta SkyMiles can be complex and frustrating due to frequent changes and a lack of award charts. However, once you accumulate enough miles and gain the necessary knowledge to navigate the program, you can extract significant value from them.

Historically, Delta has offered flash sales where round-trip tickets cost as little as 5,000 SkyMiles. They’ve also run flash sales for flights to Europe, including economy round-trip flights for 32,000 SkyMiles.

While it requires effort to understand and utilize SkyMiles effectively, many consider Delta’s inflight experience to be the best among domestic carriers — as does the data powering TPG’s own annual report on the best U.S. airlines (Delta took the top spot for the fifth straight year in 2023).

Today, we will explore five key things you need to know about Delta SkyMiles to maximize their value.

There’s no published award chart

ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

Delta removed award charts from its website in 2015. If you want to save miles for a future award flight, you must search for your desired route on different dates to get an idea of the approximate number of miles required. However, it’s important to note that this range can change unexpectedly.

Another aspect to consider is the wide range of SkyMiles needed for the same route. For example, a domestic flight that costs 10,000 miles one day could be half that price just a few days later. To illustrate this, let’s look at the varying prices over one week for a short flight from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD).

DELTA.COM

The variance can be even more significant when it comes to international routes, especially in premium cabins. Within a week one-way, business-class flights from JFK to Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport (TLV) range between 237,500 and 480,000 SkyMiles.

DELTA.COM

Availability with award programs is always a challenge. Still, without set prices, these significant variances force you to plan your trip schedule around availability rather than SkyMiles rewarding you with your desired schedule.

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Finally, with no fixed prices, last-minute SkyMiles award tickets function like revenue tickets: They tend to be significantly more expensive.

This is a major drawback to collecting SkyMiles compared to other legacy carrier miles. In this Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) to Cancun International Airport (CUN) example, close-in award tickets are roughly double than tickets a week or more out:

DELTA.COM

That said, it’s worth noting that you can reticket most Delta award flights (excluding basic economy) when the price drops. Many times, this can be accomplished right in the Delta app.

TPG director of content Nick Ewen did this twice on a one-way award ticket from Orlando International Airport (MCO) to Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) for him and his family earlier this year. He initially booked three tickets at 25,000 miles apiece, but the price dropped to 20,500 miles and then 19,500 miles. Both times he was able to rebook his flight, ultimately putting 16,500 miles back in his SkyMiles account.

Related: Complete guide to changing and canceling award tickets

Adding segments can lower your award ticket price

ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

Surprisingly, longer flights can sometimes result in lower award rates for a Delta award ticket. Delta tends to have limited competition on routes originating from its main hubs.

As an example, here’s a search from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in economy class:

DELTA.COM

When you shift your origin to JFK, which is served by more carriers, the prices drop significantly — with many itineraries on these days connecting in Detroit:

DELTA.COM

Related: How to redeem Delta SkyMiles for maximum value

Partner award prices are now higher

DELTA

In late 2022, award rates skyrocketed on partner flights booked through SkyMiles, as pricing was largely brought in line with itineraries entirely operated by Delta.

In short, it now costs a lot more to fly with partner airlines on flights to and from the U.S. — especially for business-class awards.

For example, Virgin Atlantic flights to and from the U.S. now cost around 210,000 miles when there’s award space — instead of the previous 86,000-mile price.

DELTA.COM

For reference, you can typically book this same business-class award for 47,500 Virgin Atlantic Flying Club points plus $926.70 — though it’s even cheaper (33,200 points) through Sept. 30 thanks to Virgin’s 30% discount on award redemptions this summer.

You’ll see similar increases on Aerolineas Argentinas, Aeromexico, China Airlines, China Eastern and Korean Airlines flights originating from the U.S.

Related: Leisurely luxury: A review of Virgin Atlantic’s A350 leisure configuration in Upper Class from Manchester to Orlando

Keep an eye on SkyMiles sales

ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

Delta routinely offers SkyMiles sales. One of its most recent was round-trip airfare to Auckland Airport (AKL) from most major U.S. airports for just 37,400 SkyMiles round-trip. Last year, the airline offered round-trip awards from JFK to various gateways in the Caribbean and the Bahamas for just 8,000 miles round-trip.

We even saw select flights from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) to beach destinations at just 2,500 miles each way back in Feb. 2021.

Keep an eye on Delta’s SkyMiles sales page to find these deals.

Related: The ultimate guide to Delta One Suites

You can earn elite status without ever flying

ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

Delta SkyMiles lets you earn Medallion status without flying.

If you have both of the Delta cobranded cards issued by American Express that earn Medallion Qualification Miles (either the consumer or business versions of each card), you could spend your way to upper-level Platinum Medallion status without ever setting foot on a Delta plane.

Here are the four cards and the Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) they allow you to earn:

  • Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card: Earn 10,000 MQMs after you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, up to two times. Thus, you can earn a total of 20,000 MQMs by spending $50,000 in a year. The card’s annual fee is $250 (see rates and fees).
  • Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card: Earn 10,000 MQMs after you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, up to two times. Thus, you can earn a total of 20,000 MQMs by spending $50,000 in a year. The card’s annual fee is $250 (see rates and fees).
  • Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card: Earn 15,000 MQMs after you spend $30,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, up to four times. Thus, you can earn a total of 60,000 MQMs by spending $120,000 in a year. The card’s annual fee is $550 (see rates and fees).
  • Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card: Earn 15,000 MQMs after you spend $30,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, up to four times. Thus, you can earn a total of 60,000 MQMs by spending $120,000 in a year. The card’s annual fee is $550 (see rates and fees).

If you hold the Delta Platinum Amex and the Delta Reserve Amex and can put $50,000 and $120,000 in spend on them (respectively), you’ll reach Platinum status. That’s because you’ll have 80,000 MQMs (just ahead of the required threshold of 75,000) and will waive the Medallion Qualification Dollar (MQD) requirement for Silver, Gold and Platinum Medallion status.

While not Delta’s top tier, Platinum Medallion still comes with unlimited upgrades and a selection of Choice Benefits that can improve your flying experience.

For reference, the Diamond MQD waiver only kicks in once you’ve spent $250,000 on eligible purchases across your Delta cobranded American Express credit cards.

Note that all four of these cards also include a 15% discount on Delta-operated award flights when you redeem your SkyMiles and pay the taxes and fees with the card. This doesn’t apply to partner tickets.

Related: Best Delta credit cards

Bottom line

Delta SkyMiles remains a solid choice for Delta travelers. I continue to find great value in using SkyMiles for domestic flights for me and my family, and I find equal value in holding Delta Platinum Medallion status. However, SkyMiles isn’t the currency to hold if you’re looking for aspirational or long-haul premium cabin awards.

For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Amex Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business Amex Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Amex Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business Amex Card, please click here.

Additional reporting by Ryan Smith, Nick Ellis and Richard Kerr.

Source: thepointsguy.com

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